IMPORTANT NOTE:

I am not taking new clients as I have moved to Virginia. More information ishere. I will do all I can to help find resources/other therapists. Existing clients who want to continue to work with me should contact me as I may be able to work with a limited number of people through telepsychology. For others, I recommend Wise Counsel and Comfort, or, for LGBT (especially transgender) clients, Brave Space or Owl's Nest North. I'm sorry I can't help more as I know it can be hard and frustrating to find a new therapist, especially in light of recent world events and changes to the insurance industry. Hang in tbere. I will help all I can.

About Therapy

Why "Introspections", you might ask? My idea for the name of my therapy came from the belief that there can be no real growth without looking inward. Socrates said it best, I think, when he said," The unexamined life is not worth living." It is my hope that you're here because you want your life to be different in some way...because what worked for you in the past isn't working now.

One of the great things about therapy is that you get to talk to this person who isn't going to judge you, and isn't affected by what you do or don't do. And I can be much more objective since I'm not involved. I also bring a lot of experience and education to the table, which gives me a broader perspective. I think YOU have many of your answers within you...you just need a little help finding them. That's where I come in.

My focus (and my passion) is with the LGBT community, though I certainly don't limit my work to 'family'! Rest assured, though, that I am gay/trans/poly/kink/queer/bi (the list goes on!) friendly. Though I often work with transgender and gender variant clients, I like to work with all kinds of people from all walks of life and with all kinds of life challenges. Whether you're interested in individual or couples therapy, I'd consider it an honor to work with you. My mission is to provide quality therapy at an affordable fee.

(By the way...if you're wondering why my website URL is 'MyTherapistSaid', it's a tongue-in-cheek reference to the way people in therapy sometimes tell their friends, 'well, my therapist said...!

Ages I work with

I work with adults only…not because I don't like kids, but because I don't have experience working with them. Stay tuned (or contact me for more info)-I am working on finding resources to refer people to if they are under 18.

What's therapy like?

So what's it like to be in therapy with me? If you talked with clients I've seen in the past, they'd be likely to tell you I'm a "real person" -- not a stuffy professional. I don't have a couch that people lie on and talk about their childhood wounds, and I don't tell people they hate their mother! And a lot of times, it's a lot like sitting and chatting with a good friend. The difference is that I'm not involved in your life...so I can be objective. I also have a lot of education and experience to help you see things more clearly. You won't typically find me telling you what to do and how to do it, because I don't think that works for most people. My role is supportive--you decide to change and you determine the direction. I guide and support you in making the changes that work best for you. And sometimes I can be like a mirror, reflecting you back to yourself so that you can see yourself more clearly, or, at times, in a new light. I feel strongly that you are the only expert on you. I believe we have the answers within us--we just need some help finding them.

Practically, the sessions are 50 minutes long, and most people come once a week. Some may come more or less often, depending on what they need and can afford. I offer appointment times during the day and also evenings. Let me know what your needs are, and I'll do my best to make it happen. I can be pretty flexible about most things...the most important thing is that you get the help you need.

IMPORTANT: If you do not get an email confirming the appointment after scheduling, you are NOT on my schedule, so feel free to contact me to confirm if needed. Also, if you sign up for reminders and do not get one, you are probably not on my schedule, so let me know if questions. Scheduling snafus don't happen a lot, but they do happen, so please feel free to ask me if there is any question about whether your appointment got scheduled. If you don't find a time that works, let me know. I often block time slots to make my schedule flow better and may have one available that would work for you.

So How Much?

My therapy is quite affordable compared to others around here, many with less education than I have . So why would I charge so little when I could be making much more? It's important to me that those who need help are able to get it. That's my mission, my way of giving back to a community and place I love. I know what it's like to need help but be unable to afford it. I'll do my best to make sure that doesn't happen to you.

I offer a sliding scale for those who can't afford my full fee (and it's totally fine if you can't!). I love what I do, and want to be available to as many people as possible. I also have to put food on my table (and in my dogs' bowls!)...so I think it's fair to charge somewhere between $50 and $190 per session, based loosely on your income. If that still isn't 'doable', please talk to me. I know the economy is tough right now and people are having a hard time. I can work with you to arrange a fee we can both live with. I also work with Patient/Physician Cooperative and Open Path Psychotherapy Collective, both designed to make therapy more affordable for those without insurance.

INSURANCE INFORMATION

Please contact my biller, Brooke Henry of Medical Billing Northwest, for billing and insurance questions. She's the expert! Her email is brooke@medicalbillingnorthwest.com, and her phone is (503) 592-9333. She can check your coverage and benefits for you.

If you have other types of insurance, I can file claims as an out of network provider, but your benefit will probably not be as great as it would if you saw a provider who is in network with your insurance. I am also a provider with Patient/Physician Cooperatives, a way for those without insurance to get lower cost services. More info here.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

I accept cash, checks and credit card. If you wish to pay by credit card, I can do so in one of 4 ways. I can take payments using my iPad at the session, you can pay by Ribbon (you can send money using just your browser-no app needed and no fee if you use a debit card), or you can send it via Paypal using my email address. IF YOU WISH TO PAY BY PAYPAL, I REQUIRE THAT YOU DO SO EITHER BEFORE THE SESSION OR AFTER YOUR SESSION BY THE END OF THE DAY. You can also pay with Dwolla, which is similar to Paypal and has fewer fees. You can also go to Dwolla.com, set up your account and visit my Dwolla page here. You can find out more here. If you would like, I can also store your credit card information securely on my Electronic Health Record, Simple Practice, and automatically charge it at the end of each session.

If there is another way you prefer to pay, let me know. I'm always looking for new techy stuff!

Psychotherapy Session

Telemental Health

(AKA telemedicine, telepsychology, Online Therapy and many others)

I'm currently using doxy.me for telepsychology. It is, of course, fully HIPAA compliant and secure.

LOCATIONS

15100 Boones Ferry Rd.

Lake Oswego, OR 97035

6536 Southeast Duke St.Portland, OR 97206

Contact ME

Fill out this form to get in touch. I'll get back to you as soon as possible. PLEASE NOTE: Email is NOT secure, nor is texting. If you send me a message digitally, you do so with this knowledge and consent. I am able to send you encrypted, secure email through Hushmail but would need to set that up beforehand.